Cut-off valve.



PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907. 7

E. G. VINCENT.

GUT-OFF VALVE.

urmoumn FILED 001211. 1905.

llllflllllflll/I/l/J WITH ESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

EDWARD G. VINCENT, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO ALBERT B.

VAN VOAST, ONE-FOURTH TO HERMAN WAGNER, AND ONE-FOURTH TO M. FRANKIE VINCENT, ALL OF SOHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

CUT-OFF vALvE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed October 11, 1905- Serial No. 282,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Gr. VINCENT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Straight-Way Stop-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements, ,and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and the reference characters thereon which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view partly in central,

vertical, longitudinal section of my improved valve, the stem-nut and Wedges and the cap being shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the valve-case taken on the broken line zz in Fig. 1, showing a valve-disk and stem-nut in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the back of a valve-disk having inclined bearing surfaces. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same taken on the broken line a:x in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top' plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. l, of a valve-disk having a vertical bearing surface on its back. Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of one of the lower wedges Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the stem-nut and the upper wedges integral therewith. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 10 is a horizontal cross-section of the same taken on the broken line lO--l0 in Fig. 9.

The principal object of the invention is to facilitate, and render more certain, the working of the wedges whereby the valve-disks are forced to their seats.

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 1, represents the valve-case having the usual cap or cover. The valve-stem, G, is provided with an ordinary hand-wheel at its upper end. The stem-nut, 2, adapted to travel longitudinally upon the stem, when the stem is rotated, has, formed integral therewith, the upper wedge or wedges formed by inclined bearing surfaces, 2, on one side thereof, and inclined bearing surfaces, 2 on the opposite side thereof. The bearing surfaces, 2', are but slightly inclined, while the bearing surfaces, 2", are abruptly inclined. The slide-gates or disks, 3 and 4, are formed with projections on their backs adapted to overhang the upper wedge, whereby said gates are adapted to be carried to and from their seats by the stem-nut. The gate, 4, is provided on its back with bearing surfaces, 4 inclined similarly to, and engageable with, the respective slightly inclinedbearing surfaces, 2, on the upper wedge or stem-nut. The gate, 3, has formed upon its back, vertical bearing surfaces, 3-, adapted to be engaged by similar vertical bearing surfaces, 5, formed on one side of the respective lower wedges 5. The lower wedges, 5, have on their opposite side, each a bearing surface, 5, inclined similarly to, and adapted to engage, an abruptly inclined bearing surface, 2 on the stem-nut or upper wedge. The lower wedges, 5, are made so as to overhang inward projections on the backs of the gates or disks, whereby said wedges are severally loosely supported in chambers or recesses formed by and between said disks. The recesses in the backs of the gates are of sufficient size to permit slight lost motion, in a vertical direction, between the gates and wedges. Each lower wedge, 5, is formed with a foot, 5, adapted to engage a portion of the bottom of the valve-case, as shown at, 1, in Fig. 1.

The operation of the valve is as follows; The valve being open, the stem is rotated in a direction to cause the stem-nut to travel toward the valve-seats, causing the gates to be lowered to a point opposite their respective seats, whereupon the movement of the lower wedges is resisted by engagement of their respective feet, 5, with the bottom of the valve-case at l Furth er downward movement of the stem-nut, causes a spreading movement of the wedges and gates, whereby the gates are forced tightly to their respective seats. In opening the valve, the stem is rotated in the opposite direction, the initial movement of the upper wedge serving to draw it away from the abruptly inclined surfaces,5, on the lower wedges, and from the slightly inclined surfaces, 49*, on the gate, 4, the lost motion, provided for between the upper wedge and gate, permitting this movement of separation to be accomplished without an upward movement of either gate. The initial movement of withdrawal of the upper wedge, thus serves to relieve the wedge-pressure upon the gates before the gates are lifted or slid from their seats, by the continued upward movement of the stem-nut.

It is characteristic of my invention that a lower wedge has a vertical bearing surface engageable with a verti cal bearing surface on the back of the neighboring gate or disk, by reason of which construction I am able to render more certain the positioning and action of the lower wedge or wedges than is possible in constructions wherein the engaging surfaces of the lower wedge and neighboring gate are inclined.

It will be readily understood that valves of the construction above described are exposed on one side to pressure.

In employing my improved valve, placed to resist pressure applied to the face of the gate, 4, in closing said valve intgrnal pressure will force the gate, 3,

against its seat before the gates have been fully lowered to proper seating position. The lower wedge, 5, will also be carried by said pressure in the direction of the seat for the gate, 3, and upon engaging the stop, 1, a relative sliding movement between the wedge, 5, and gate, 3, will occur during the furthendownward movement of the gates to proper seating position.

It will be understood that the downward movement of the gates is not positively arrested, but that the gates continue to move downward until stopped by their frictional engagement with the respective seats, due to the initial operation of the wedges, and that alter the gates are stopped, or thus arrested, the upper wedge continues to descend for the final wedging of the gates to their seats. During the initial operation of the wedges, however, the gates move downwardly. It will readily be seen that, under these circumstances, it the mutually engaging surfaces of the gate, 3, and the lower wedge were inclined, no such relative vertical movement between said gate and wedge could occur Without a corresponding lateral movement of either the lower wedge as a whole, or of its upper end. Should the lower wedge in such a construction move freely, such lateral movement might not interfere with the successful closing of the valve, but should the foot of the wedge be retarded or restrained in its lateral movement by engagement with the valve-case at, 1, then the lower wedge would be more or loss tipped by such lateral movement, thereby impairing its efliciency as a wedge, by destroying the parallelism between its inclined surfaces, and those of the members with which it is adapted to coact.

With my improved construction, no lateral movement of the lower wedge is caused by a relative vertical movement between said wedge and the neighboring gate, due to the fact that the mutually engaging surfaces of said wedge and gate are vertical instead of being inclined. The lower wedge thus is permitted, afterhaving engaged the stop, 1*, on the bottom of the valve-case, to remain immovable throughout the operation of seating the gates, so that it is at all times during said operation in position to act with the greatest certainty.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a valve-case; a valve-stem; and a stemnut having on one side a slightly inclined bearing surface, and on the opposite side an abruptly inclined bearing surface; of a valve-gate having a bearing surface inclined similarly to, and engageable with, the slightly inclined bearing surface on said stem-nut; a valve-case-engaging wedge having on one side a bearing surface inclined similarly to, and engageable with, the abruptly inclined bearing surface on said stem-nut, and on the opposite side a vertical bearing surface; and a second Valve-gate having a vertical bearing surface engageable with the vertical bearing surface of said lower wedge.

2. The combination with a valve-case; a valve-stem; and a stem-nut having on one side a pair of slightly in clined bearing surfaces, and on the opposite side a pair of: abruptly inclined bearing" surfaces; of a valve-gate having a pair of bearing surfaces inclined similarly to, and engageable with, the respective slightly inclined bearing surfaces on said stein-nut; a pair of valve-case-engaging lower wedges having each on one side a bearing surface inclined similarly to, and engageable with, one of the abruptly inclined bearing surfaces on said Stem'nut, and on the opposite side a vertical bearing surface; and a second valve-gate having a pair of vertical bearing surfaces engageable, respectively, with the vertical bearing surfaces on said lower wedges.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDYVARD G. VINCENT.

Witnesses:

Ronnn'r W. Hanom, MAM I. ADAMS. 

